Tom Yum Koong (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)

This is one of the famous traditional Thai dishes, it is sometimes called hot and sour shrimp soup. You should order this soup with a plate rice or fried rice and fried eggs in Thai style.

Ingredients
2 lbs shelled prawns (add squids, fish if you like seafood)
3 cups clear broth
2 stalks emon grass, cut 1 inch pieces, lightly pounded
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 Coriander roots
5 Tomatoes (small)
1/2 cup mushrooms halved
4 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Coriander leaves
5 small chilies, lightly pounded

Method
Boil the clear broth and add the chopped lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and coriander roots. Cover the pot until it begins to boil.

Add the tomatoes, mushroom and fish sauce and leave to cook.
Add he prawns, wait for the broth to boil, remove the pot from the heat then add the small chillis.

Pour the Tom Yum soup into the bowl and stir gently until well blended.

At this point, if required add additional spices and add lemon juice to taste Sprinkle the coriander leaves. Remember not to add lemon juice while you are cooking, it will turn to a bitter taste, and if you want the red color of soup you can add fried paste chillis in the soup.